Tag Archives: Moon

The Far Side of the Moon

I’m no professional astronomer. No matter where I am in the world, when I look up at the night sky I see the same thing. I’ve rarely ever been able to see recognizable patterns in the stars, let alone identify specific ones, like Polaris. However, in every night sky, there is always a celestial bodyContinue reading “The Far Side of the Moon” Continue reading

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Could There be Life on Europa?

Europa is one of Jupiter’s Galilean moons, meaning it’s one of the four largest moons that orbit Jupiter. What makes it particularly special is that it is considered one of the most likely places in our solar system (outside of Earth) that might contain life. Now, at a glance, it seems like that shouldn’t beContinue reading “Could There be Life on Europa?” Continue reading

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Earth’s (Temporary) Second Moon

This title may be a little misleading. Yes, there is a small object that is currently trapped in the Earth’s orbit, however this is a small asteroid by the name of 2020 CD3. This asteroid is typically orbiting the Sun, however recently got trapped in the gravitational pull of the Earth, so, for now, itContinue reading “Earth’s (Temporary) Second Moon” Continue reading

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A New Moon

In mid February 2020, astronomers in Arizona noticed a small object making its way across the sky. This viewing was corroborated by others and designated to be 2020 CD3. It has been determined that the object is not linked to any known artificial objects. The object is most likely an asteroid that has been trappedContinue reading “A New Moon” Continue reading

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A Tidal Boat Dance 🌊

The above GIF shows the changing tides in a unique manner, by splicing together pictures taken throughout an entire day, at 20 minute intervals! The resulting effect is that it looks as if time is spiraling around the image. You can also see both pairs of high and low tides, one set during the day … Continue reading A Tidal Boat Dance 🌊 Continue reading

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The Origin of Tides: The Sun & The Moon

How much impact do The Sun and The Moon have on Earth’s tides? Also, what would happen to the Earth’s tides if there were no moon? These are questions that are covered in this blog post about tides. The Earth’s tides are results of the gravitational pull from the Sun and the Moon on Earth’sContinue reading “The Origin of Tides: The Sun & The Moon” Continue reading

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The Moon’s Tug

Three weeks ago, for my Earth System Dynamics course, I listened to a Radiolab podcast about the distance between the Earth and the Moon. In “The Times They Are a Changin’” paleontologists talk about how coral shells taught us that the Earth used to have shorter days. Their shells have tiny bands, an alternating patternContinue reading “The Moon’s Tug” Continue reading

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Moon Phases and Eclipses

The “Man in the Moon” is a story we have all heard since childhood: look into the sky and you’ll see a face in the moon, however I would get confused when I would look up and he would be missing. Where did this man go? Why isn’t he or the moon in the skyContinue reading “Moon Phases and Eclipses” Continue reading

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The Rare Earth Hypothesis

I was inspired by Victoria’s post to think more about the Fermi Paradox, and specifically, explanations of the uniqueness of intelligent life on Earth. The Rare Earth Hypothesis is one such explanation; it postulates that conditions favorable to life (and particularly intelligent life) are incredibly rare in the universe. It is in opposition to hypotheses […] Continue reading

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Blog 4: Humans back on the Moon and on to Mars

NASA’s plans for sending people to Mars are intertwined with their plans to send humans to the Moon more consistently, and hopefully to be able to establish a human presence their within the decade. They plan to launch the Gateway, a spaceship that will orbit the moon to support future trips there. They plan to launch … Continue reading Blog 4: Humans back on the Moon and on to Mars Continue reading

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